If you’re keen to escape the city, catch some sunshine, and enjoy some much-needed R&R, we’ve visited four of the Maldives’ most luxurious resorts, famed for their pristine white sand beaches, world class cuisine, eco initiatives and exceptional villas…
Dusit Thani
When you need to recuperate from the stresses of everyday life, you’ll find it easy to relax and switch off at Dusit Thani. Located on Mudhdhoo Island, which is just 35-minutes by seaplane from the capital city, Malé, or 10 minutes by speedboat from Dharavandhoo Domestic Airport in Baa Atoll, it’s part of Baa Atoll, which is Maldives’ first and only UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.
If you choose to travel by seaplane you’ll be treated to incredible views of turquoise waters, pristine white sands, shallow lagoons and uninhabited islands. The journey is an experience in itself as you take-off and land from the sea, and the large windows offer incredible opportunities to take photographs of the stunning natural scenery.
Once you catch sight of the white sand beaches, coconut palms and beautiful blue lagoon, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to a castaway paradise — but you’ll have all of Dusit Thani’s modern amenities at your fingertips. The 94 villas and residences are equipped with cutting-edge technology, including a 46” LED television, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), Wi-Fi access, and an MP3 Bose surround system.
The mix of beach and over-water villas and residences offer a combination of private pools and lagoon access, all with panoramic views of the breathtaking landscape. We stayed in a water villa with pool, which was set on stilts over the crystal-clear waters of the lagoon. This gave us the best of both worlds: we could take a dip from our own private deck, or cool down in our private waterfront pool. When we needed to retreat from the heat, we headed inside to sample our bespoke selection of wine from the in-room cooler, or get our caffeine fix courtesy of the Nespresso machine.
If you can tear yourself away from your villa — and we struggled — the island is surrounded by the living house reef, which offers endless opportunities for snorkelling. The reef is known for frequent sightings of dolphins, eagle rays, and sea turtles, and you can also take a speedboat ride to Mudhdhoo Island, which is a seasonal plankton-rich feeding ground for manta rays and whale sharks. Diving, kite surfing, water skiing kayaking and catamaran sailing are also on offer, and the resident marine biologist is on hand to educate guests about the resort’s conservation initiatives.
The resort’s centrepiece is one of the largest infinity swimming pools in the Maldives, and there are tennis courts, and a Fitness Centre with a personal trainer and yoga teacher, as well as the award-winning Devarana Spa, where you can enjoy blissfully pampering face and body treatments, manicures and pedicures, all in elevated tree-top treatment pods.
When hunger strikes, Dusit Thani’s restaurants and bars cater to every taste. Start your day with a delicious breakfast buffet in The Market, and return at the end of the day for themed buffet dinners — or sample traditional Thai delicacies at Benjarong. Sea Grill serves delicious seafood and steaks for lunch or dinner, and you can watch the sunset as you sip cocktails from Sala Bar. If you’re looking for a bespoke experience, your butler can deliver a decadent picnic to the beach, or organise a private island trip, to help you create your dream dining experience. It’s the ultimate holiday escape!
Soneva Fushi
Recognised as the first luxury hotel in the Maldives, Soneva Fushi has been operating for over 20 years. It was founded by Indian-British hotelier Sonu Shivdasani, who also co-founded the Soneva Foundation, which addresses social and environmental challenges around the world. As a result, the focus at Soneva Fushi is barefoot luxury and natural simplicity — you’ll be getting away from it all in a sustainable hotel that doesn’t compromise on comfort and style.
Soneva Fushi is located on the island of Kunfunadhoo in Baa Atoll, within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. You can travel by seaplane direct from Malé International Airport, or take a domestic flight to Daravandhoo, followed by a 12-minute speedboat ride. The resort is very lush and green, giving an instantly tropical feel, and is fringed with pure white sand and the sparkling crystal-clear turquoise sea.
We stayed in a villa right on the beach with a good sized private pool, but there’s a selection of accommodation, from original Robinson Crusoe-style hideaways to large villas, retreats and reserves, many of which have the signature garden bathroom; others feature a private pool and spa, a water slide, fitness suite and wine cellar.
You’ll find plenty of ways to spend your days, whether you want to relax on the beach, take a wonderfully relaxing sensory journey in the Six Senses Spa, go island hopping, or get up close and personal with a diverse range of marine life when you go scuba diving, snorkelling or freediving. There’s an impressive range of experiences on offer, all designed to help you make holiday memories: take a speedboat trip to a traditional Maldivian restaurant located on a nearby uninhabited island; enjoy a guided snorkelling trip with the resident marine biologist; go snorkelling with manta rays; or sip champagne on a sunset dolphin safari. If you’re feeling creative, you can learn to blow glass in the resort’s own glass art studio. After dark, watch classic film screenings underneath the stars at Cinema Paradiso, or make your way to The Observatory to gaze upon the night sky through a state-of-the-art telescope.
When you’re happy to simply sit back and relax, you can enjoy the stunning scenery from the comfort of the resort’s restaurants. Fresh in the Garden is restaurant without walls which rises above the herb and vegetable garden. It serves Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, made from freshly-picked produce. You’ll find anything you crave at Mihiree Mitha, from imported cheese to fresh fruit, pizza and ice cream. For the ultimate nightcap, head to Bar (A) Bara, and lie back on a cushioned hammock suspended over the Indian Ocean and sip a cocktail as sea turtles and dolphins swim beneath your feet.
Soneva Jani
Soneva Jani is located in the Medhufaru lagoon in the Noonu Atoll, which is made up of five islands — of which Medhufaru is the largest and is a scenic 40-minute seaplane flight from Malé International Airport. As we were staying at its sister resort Soneva Fushi, we took a fabulous speedboat ride direct from there, but also had the option of taking a leisurely half-day cruise instead.
Accommodation at this super-luxurious new resort is made up of a collection of Water Villas and Island Sanctuaries, all set within a private lagoon, fringed by white sand beaches and tropical greenery. All of the villas are made from sustainable materials, and each water villa opens onto its own stretch of private lagoon, and also has a private pool. Many of them also have slides to take you from the top floor straight into the lagoon, as well as a retractable roof so that you can stargaze from the comfort of the master bedroom. There’s an open air bathroom in every villa, and there’s a Mr or Mrs Friday butler service, to cater to your every need.
We started each day with a delicious breakfast at So Fresh, complete with fresh fruits and creative juices. The restaurant serves salads, bespoke pizzas and fresh fish at lunchtime, and the chef creates an array of dishes in the open kitchen for dinner. For a memorable holiday experience, head to Zuhair’s Beach on the deserted north island, where the chef cooks only what he can catch or pick — try freshly-caught fish baked in the sand.
After dark, let the chef trick your tastebuds with a Laboratory Dinner, sample the mystery menu at the chef’s table, or dine under the stars at So Starstruck on the Observatory deck. If you have a sweet tooth, So Cool serves over 50 flavours of ice cream and handmade chocolates — and The Gathering Wine Cellar is famous for it’s world-class sommeliers, not to mention the six-metre high glass tower where the wine is stored. Private tastings and dinners can be arranged above the wine tower in the Tasting Room, So Imaginative.
Unwind in the Soneva Spa, or use the fully-equipped gym, sauna and steam rooms. There’s also a wide range of activities on offer, including water sports, dolphin cruises and bicycling along the island trails. PADI instructors at the Soleni Dive Centre will escort you to dive dive sites around the resort, where you’ll dive in small groups to discover the lagoon’s rich marine life.
If you’d rather stay on dry land, you can also loose yourself in the Labyrinth, a meditative maze made out of ficus hedge that follows and ancient circular pattern, and spend evenings watching movies at the overwater open air cinema, which is located in a tranquil bay at the south of the island. This wonderful resort may still be pretty new, but it’s already proving a firm favourite for those who want the Maldives experience at its most luxurious best.
Gili Lankanfushi
For our final resort our choice was simple – it had to be the multi-award-winning Gili Lankanfushi. We’d heard and read consistently glowing reports and wanted to experience this Maldives icon for ourselves before heading home.
To get there, we took the sea plane down to the resort from the more northerly atolls we were staying, but you can travel from Malé International Airport by speedboat or luxury yacht in just 20 minutes. This makes it perfectly positioned for those who want to reach their luxury resort as soon as possible after their long international flight, avoiding waiting for sea planes or domestic flights.
From the moment you arrive on this tiny, private coral island resort, you’ll feel the pressures of everyday life slip away. We were met by our very own Mr Friday, our butler for the duration of our stay, who offered us a cooling spritz of peppermint spray and led us to our luxury Lagoon Villa, complete with over-water sundeck and rooftop terrace. We spent lazy days basking in the sun from the comfort of our private water hammock, or relaxing on the sundeck, retreating to the open-air living room whenever we wanted to escape the heat.
All of the over-water villas are made from natural wood and glass, and the open design means that the sights, sounds and smell of the ocean soothe your senses. If you’re staying in a Crusoe Residence or the four-bedroom Private Reserve, they can only be accessed by boat — simply drive one yourself or call a floating pontoon any time you like.
At breakfast, we feasted on French toast and freshly-squeezed tropical smoothies at Main Restaurant. We chose light lunches from the organic salad bar and, in the evening, indulged ourselves at the luxury street food markets, which are held four nights per week. We sampled exotic flavours from the Mediterranean Spice Souk, the Asian Street Market, and the Passage Through India Tandoor evening. We also took advantage of the delicious fresh fish and seafood and ordered sushi and sashimi at Japanese fusion restaurant, By the Sea.
If you’d prefer some privacy, you can dine in your own villa — but we didn’t get the opportunity as we were too busy exploring the chilled underground wine cellar, where you slip a hot water bottle under your feet as sommeliers guide you through food and wine pairings, followed by the subterranean Chocolate and Cheese Rooms, where you can sample handmade chocolates and artisanal cheeses.
It’s impossible to resist the allure of the clear turquoise waters, so we took advantage of the breathtaking scenery and went snorkelling among black-tipped sharks and turtles. You can also go scuba diving, windsurfing, or learn to surf — the biggest break in the Maldives is just 15 minutes from the resort. If you’d rather go island hopping, board the Riviera yacht to take a cruise through remote atolls, or get a taste of authentic Maldivian life when you visit local islands.
There are plenty of other unique experiences on offer, so it’s easy to make your holiday dreams come true. Whether you want to find inner peace in the overwater Meera Spa, where you can try the four-handed massage or experience a Tibetan singing bowl session, or do your bit to protect the environment when you sign up for a data-collecting science dive, you’ll find it’s easy to switch off and enjoy a truly luxurious retreat.
The Maldives is such a wonderful antidote to the stresses and strains of corporate life. For jaw-dropping incredible natural beauty, super-luxurious accommodation, gourmet cuisine, peace and tranquillity we can’t think of anywhere more perfect to relax and recharge. We guarantee you’ll want to return, again… and again…
Top Resort Hopping Tips
It’s wise (and cost effective) to plan to stay in resorts which are close to each other. Sea planes are expensive (think on average 600 USD per person)…and also if you book a resort in an atoll that’s quite a distance from another, you could require two separate flights and a potential few hour wait in the new sea plane terminal.
Our suggestion (it sounds more complex than it is) would be to book your first resort a sea plane away, (Baa Atoll for example), and your next one just a short speedboat from this, and your final one, a sea plane ride back before hopping on a speedboat to a more local final resort. It’s always wise to have your last resort a speedboat from the international airport as sea planes cannot fly in the dark or in particularly stormy weather.
A great combination could be.. Anantara Naladhu or Gili Lakanfushi as your first resort, just 20-30 or so minutes by speedboad from the airport, then head to the Baa Atoll by sea plane for Nautilus or Anantarah Kihavah – which is very close by, and then back by sea plane to get a speedboat to a local resort such as Four Seasons Kuda Huura before your flight home.
Be reassured, the resort’s transfer teams are amazing and will liaise on your behalf over transfers with the next resorts. Bear in mind you will not know your sea plane departure time until usually after 7 or 8pm the evening before, and it’s not often possible to request more than an approximate time to fly (ie am or pm). The sea plane companies are the ones who decide on their schedule and advise the resorts accordingly.
Sea planes do give an incredible view of the Maldives, and are quite the experience, so we do recommend you try at least one return during your stay.
By Lisa Curtiss
